Caribbean Retail: Grocery Sales, Channel Structure and Import Dependency

Caribbean retail is not reported as a single regional total, and any figure presented as one should be read with the question: which markets does it cover?

The best-documented measure is grocery. Caribbean retail grocery sales reached US$10.48 billion in 2024, a rise of 2 per cent from US$10.28 billion in 2023, which had itself grown 3.7 per cent from US$9.9 billion in 2022 (USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, citing Euromonitor). That figure covers the 25 markets of the Caribbean Basin Agricultural Trade Office, excluding Cuba, and excluding the BES Islands, Montserrat, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Euromonitor separately puts the packaged food retail market at US$10.2 billion in 2024, forecast to reach US$14.2 billion by 2029.

The structure of that spending is often misdescribed. Across the region the retail food sector comprises more than 15,940 outlets, of which traditional grocers account for over 87 per cent. But large and modern supermarkets, hypermarkets and warehouse clubs, at only 13 per cent of outlets, generate over 73 per cent of grocery retail sales, against 27 per cent from traditional retailers (Euromonitor via USDA FAS). Traditional trade dominates the outlet count; modern trade dominates the value.

That distinction matters commercially. A distribution strategy built on outlet numbers reaches a different market than one built on sales value, and research designs that cover only one channel will misread the other.

What the Published Sources Report

Largest Markets and Key Retailers

Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe and The Bahamas are the largest grocery retail markets in the region by sales value.

• Guadeloupe generates approximately US$1.4 billion in grocery retail sales. (USDA FAS, 2025)
• The Bahamas generates approximately US$1.25 billion. (USDA FAS, 2025)
• Guyana is the fastest-growing market in the region, driven by oil revenue, with retail chains including Massy Stores opening new outlets. (USDA FAS, 2025)
• Massy Stores is the largest regional retailer, operating over 40 stores across five countries: Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Guyana. (USDA FAS)
• Regional and international chains present include PriceSmart, Cost-U-Less, Carrefour and Le Petit Casino. (USDA FAS, 2025)

Sector Trends

• Consumers in some Caribbean Basin markets have become more price-sensitive, leading larger retailers to expand private label and value-priced ranges. (USDA FAS, 2025)
• Small grocery outlets are declining in some markets due to less competitive prices; they typically buy through a distribution chain, raising consumer costs. (USDA FAS)
• Growing demand for gourmet and higher-value offerings including delicatessen and health-focused products. (USDA FAS, 2024)
• Tourism is the main economic driver for most Caribbean markets and directly shapes retail assortment, store format, and import mix. (USDA FAS, 2025)
• Top import categories by value: poultry, bakery/cereal/pasta, beef, dairy, non-alcoholic beverages, food preparations, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, eggs, and pork. These ten represent approximately 70 per cent of consumer-oriented product imports. (USDA FAS, 2025)

Import Dependency

An estimated 81 per cent of consumer-oriented agricultural imports are destined for the retail sector. Imports of consumer-oriented agricultural products totalled US$3.29 billion in 2024, with the United States supplying 50 per cent, worth US$1.64 billion. Most products on Caribbean retail shelves are imported, creating price sensitivity to currency movements, shipping costs, and US export availability.

USDA FAS, 2025

E-commerce in Caribbean Retail

E-commerce share of Caribbean retail is not reliably measured; see our Caribbean e-commerce research for why.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources